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Clive Candlin

A veteran interview with

Clive Candlin

After a 47-year military career, Major Clive Candlin revisits his service with the Coldstream Guards during the Aden Emergency. He offers an honest insight into the experiences that shaped him and the work he continues to do to preserve the memories of those who served alongside him.

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About Clive Candlin

From a happy childhood in a Yorkshire mining village to a career spanning almost five decades, Major Clive Candlin reflects on his lifetime of service. Joining the Army at just 17 years old opened up a world beyond Yorkshire that took him to places he could never have imagined visiting.

The interview centres on Clive’s deployment to Aden in 1964, with the Coldstream Guards, where he served as a clerk at Battalion Headquarters. He offers a rare perspective on how a battalion functioned during an active campaign, describing the unseen administrative work that kept operations moving. This included the responsibility of handling casualty reports so that soldiers’ families could be informed quickly and accurately.

Clive also reflects on the personal costs of service. He speaks openly about the difficulties of leaving his wife, Margaret and their infant son, Steve, behind in Britain, describing the uncertainty of being separated for such a long time, especially when communication was not what it is now.

Among some of Clive’s happier memories are those of the friendships and camaraderie he shared among the men, which provided moments of relief amidst the pressure of service. Clive’s testimony provides valuable insight into both the operational realities and the emotional cost of Army life during the Aden Emergency.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Mia Sen-Gupta
Transcribed by:
Mia Sen-Gupta

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

If you would like a version of the transcript that has been transcribed manually by Mia Sen-Gupta, please complete this form or email info@legasee.org.uk.

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Home | Veterans | Clive Candlin

A veteran interview with

Clive Candlin

Clive Candlin

After a 47-year military career, Major Clive Candlin revisits his service with the Coldstream Guards during the Aden Emergency. He offers an honest insight into the experiences that shaped him and the work he continues to do to preserve the memories of those who served alongside him.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Candlin, Clive. A Veteran Interview with Clive Candlin. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 6 May. 2026 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/clive-candlin/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.
APA Style:
Candlin, C. (2026, May 6). A Veteran Interview with Clive Candlin [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/clive-candlin/
Chicago Style:
Candlin, Clive. 2026. A Veteran Interview with Clive Candlin. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, May 6. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/clive-candlin/
Harvard Style:
Candlin, C. (2026). A Veteran Interview with Clive Candlin. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 6 May. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/clive-candlin/ (Accessed: 11 October 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Candlin, C. A Veteran Interview with Clive Candlin [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2026 May 6 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/clive-candlin/
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker